Reverse ND Grad - Singh Ray? Hitech? Other? Best price?

[Kym]

I'm thinking about getting a 2 or 3 stop reverse ND grad filter for sunrise/sunset work.
(In Z-pro i.e. 4x6 size)

http://www.singh-ray.com/reversegrads.html

Who uses one?

Where is the best place to buy one?

Thanks!

[ving]

probably not helpfull but arthur has a gnd filter that he uses... i dont know anything about it tho...

[Tannin]

A reverse ND grad, eh? Tricky damn items to find in stock anywhere. Just about all the ND grads you can get here in Australia are dark at the top, fading gradually to completely clear at the bottom. You could try mail-order from Europe or the USA (because they naturally mostly use the other sort over there). Or, if that seems too difficult, you can just use a standard non-reverse grad and hold the camera upside down.

[Kym]

A reverse ND grad, eh? Tricky damn items to find in stock anywhere. Just about all the ND grads you can get here in Australia are dark at the top, fading gradually to completely clear at the bottom. You could try mail-order from Europe or the USA (because they naturally mostly use the other sort over there).

Reverse in as much as its darker in the middle and rapidly transitions to clear on the bottom half.
Designed for sunsets/sunrises

Or, if that seems too difficult, you can just use a standard non-reverse grad and hold the camera upside down.

Or I could just swivel the holder Or maybe because we are down under ... never mind
Maybe I could get you to stand on your head so you get some blood flow to the brain

[Big Pix]

you could try here http://www.2filter.com/prices/catalog.html

I have not ordered any filters from this supplier

[gcflora]

I use the singh-ray reverse grads. Ordering on their site is the only way to get them, but their service and delivery is very quick. Not cheap though

[ving]

here ya go, this is what you are after

http://www.pro-design.com.au/product...product_id=281

dont say i dont do anything for ya!

[gcflora]

here ya go, this is what you are after

http://www.pro-design.com.au/product...product_id=281

dont say i dont do anything for ya!

Lee make reverse grads now? Cool

[Kym]

here ya go, this is what you are after
dont say i dont do anything for ya!

Not useful

A REVERSE ND Grad starts light at the top, gets darker progressively towards the middle then goes suddenly lighter.
The idea is to tame the horizon and just above for sunsets.

Normal ND grads are dark at the top and get lighter as they progress.
You can fit a normal ND grad upside down and halfway in the holder but that give a very hard edge.

Lee make reverse grads now? Cool

Sadly no.

[ving]

the sky set and twilight set work like that.


what do you want for your money... its not like you pay me to do this

[Dylan & Marianne]

My advice on reverse grads :

VERY useful! BUT for certain situations only
- it is useful for those precise moments of sunset where you have nothing else on the horzion or those objects will be turned black as well. Also useful for after sunset too.

I have singhray 2 stop reverse which work well
hitech also make them at 10cm X12.5cm (will fit into Zpro filter holder) among other sizes I believe.

you can get them from teamworkphoto.com at a fraction the price of singhray and so far, I have found no discernable cast or difference in quality.

Choose the scene well and you'll be surprised what results you can get

[Kym]

My advice on reverse grads :
VERY useful! BUT for certain situations only
- it is useful for those precise moments of sunset where you have nothing else on the horzion or those objects will be turned black as well. Also useful for after sunset too.
I have singhray 2 stop reverse which work well
hitech also make them at 10cm X12.5cm (will fit into Zpro filter holder) among other sizes I believe.
you can get them from teamworkphoto.com at a fraction the price of singhray and so far, I have found no discernable cast or difference in quality.
Choose the scene well and you'll be surprised what results you can get

Thanks!! Teamwork Hitech prices are less than half the SinghRay

[davidd]

You can order Hitech direct from the manufacturer, good price and prompt delivery.

www.formatt.co.uk

[gcflora]

My advice on reverse grads :

VERY useful! BUT for certain situations only
- it is useful for those precise moments of sunset where you have nothing else on the horzion or those objects will be turned black as well. Also useful for after sunset too.

Kah Kit Yoong stacks reverse GNDs with normal (soft) GNDs to get a better, more natural/subtle (IMO and probably his as well otherwise he'd not use the method I guess LOL) result. I've been meaning to give it a go...

Or so I am told


Edit: This is just what I've been told! I wouldn't dare speak for him or put words into his mouth! But I believe it's true

[Dylan & Marianne]

Kah Kit Yoong stacks reverse GNDs with normal (soft) GNDs to get a better, more natural/subtle (IMO and probably his as well otherwise he'd not use the method I guess LOL) result. I've been meaning to give it a go...

Or so I am told


Edit: This is just what I've been told! I wouldn't dare speak for him or put words into his mouth! But I believe it's true

definitely works ! on top of the 2 reverse I usually also put the 3 soft GND as 2 stops is not enough for the lighting difference between sky and water usually.
I've gleened alot of inspiration from Kah Kit Yoong's shots and his technique too

[arthurking83]

Apart from SinghRay, I don't know of any other manufacturers that have them.

The only thing that's stopped me from getting SinghRay's(I think I wanted 5 of their filters) is cost.
Those 5 filters would cost me over US$1000!!

ATM I'm making do, and will one day get a set of their filters too(in the Z-Pro sizes).

I think the 2stop may end up being a tad useless in 'reality' and as it;s always best to underexpose highlight areas anyhow.. I'd say 3stop minimum, 4stop may be best.
At that time of day the brightness of the horizon is usually 3-4stops brighter than the darkest shadows areas in the foreground(in most cases.. not all!). The difference between the middle ground and the upper sky may be in the order of 2-3stops.

From memory I think I was going to order a 3stop and 5stop reverse grad to give myself a fair amount of leeway with only two filters, and they're $200plus each! that way I can stack'em and have up to 8stops of balance when needed..

I think that the difference between 2stops and 3 stops, and 3 stops and 4stops is easily recovered in processing.

The problems with the Lee filters, Stripe Set is that they're all basically coloured as well. Not really needed with digital, and any extra orangey tint will probably only serve to blow the red channel even more(when it does blow out). They one and only striped filter in grey is too light.

[arthurking83]

Hitech!?

thanks for that Dylan.

Will have a look one day

ditto on the exact situation where they work well too.
That's been another reason I haven't rushed out to get them. I want them for those situations when they do work properly, which are few and far between in my case.
The problem with my case is that, when I damned well need them, and don't have them .. well, that's the problem.

I'll check out the Hitech site.

[gcflora]

I'm thinking about getting a 2 or 3 stop reverse ND grad filter for sunrise/sunset work.
(In Z-pro i.e. 4x6 size)

http://www.singh-ray.com/reversegrads.html

Who uses one?

Where is the best place to buy one?

Thanks!

The only place to buy is from Singh-Ray directly. As far as I know they don't have resellers.

[tomtom1]

I have a 3 stop singh ray reverse gnd

I think BHphoto resells them, but they are the same price, and they order from singh ray anyway when you place your order. Useful only if you're getting some other stuff from them to save shipping.

It's probably better to get the stronger 3 stop, as the sun on the horizon is obviously quite bright compared to the foreground at that time of the day.

[Steve Axford]

Bloody expensive when two exposures work just as well, maybe better if the horizon isn't flat.